Kutaisi

Kutaisi is a city in western Georgia with 147000 inhabitants. Located along the banks of the Rioni river, 221km west of Tbilisi, Kutaisi was the capital of Georgia between 978 and 1122. Between 1455 and 1810 it was the capital of the Imeretian kingdom. Since 2011 the Georgian parliament is located in Kutaisi.
The historical core of Kutaisi is centered around the fountain square, with the picturesque Colchis fountain. Besides that there are not too many interesting sights in the centre of Kutaisi. The main attractions of the city are the Bagrati cathedral and the Gelati monastery. The Bagrati cathedral is on a hill across the river and is a former UNESCO world heritage site. This 11th century cathedral was destroyed by the Ottomans in 1692, and completely restaurated until 2013. The 12th century Gelati monastery is in the hills, a few km out of Kutaisi. How to access Kutaisi: Kutaisi has an international airport with flights to Tbilisi, Mestia, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and several European cities (via the budget airline Wizz air). Kutaisi is connected by train and bus to Tbilisi.